Connector



M. BRENNER Oct. 11, 1960 CONNECTOR Filed March 26. 1958 INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofiice 2,956,108 Patented Oct. 11, 1960 CONNECTOR Morris Brenner, Erie, Pa., assignor to Penn-Union Electric Corporation, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 26, 1958, Ser. No. 724,013

3 Claims. cl. 174-94 tors are especially suitable for mechanically and electrically securing a branch or tap electricity conducting wire to an intermediate portion of a power line. Such connectors are used in large numbers by power companies and others so that the cost of purchasing and installing such connectors is an important factor. It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel connector which is of simple and economical construction and which may be easily and quickly applied to a plurality of wires so that installation cost may be reduced.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a novel compression type connector which is constructed so as to connect a pair of wires mechanically and electrically in an improved and efiicient manner.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a novel compression type connector especially suitable for connecting one wire to an intermediate portion of another wire, which connector is constructed in a simple manner so that it may be easily applied to said intermediate portion of the second wire and so that it is selfsupporting on the wire whereby to facilitate assembly of the wires and the connector and subsequent crimping of the connector.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner in which a pair of wires may be connected by means of a device incorporating features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing a connector incorporating features of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of a connector incorporating features of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the connector similar to Fig. 3 but showing, in an exaggerated manner, the position to which the connector tilts after it is assembled with the wires and before it is crimped so as to insure against accidental disconnection from the upper wire;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the connector fully crimped onto the wires;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a connector embodying a slightly modified form of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentaryperspective view showing the connector of Fig. 7 crimped onto a pair of wires.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, a device or connector 10 incorporating features of the present invention is shown in Figs. 1-5. This device is adapted to be used for connecting a pair of wires 12 and 14. The wire 12 may, for example, be an overhead electric power line supported by spaced poles or any other suitable means, not shown, and the wire 14 may provide a branch conductor extending from the power line to a house or a factory or any other system which is to be supplied with electricity. It will be noted that the connector is applied to the wires so that a free end of the wire 14 is connected to an intermediate portion of the wire 12. It is to be appreciated however, that the connectors of this invention may be utilized for wire systems other than the wires shown herein.

The connector 10 is formed from a suitable malleable material such as copper or aluminum which is a good conductor of electricity and which is compatible with the wires to be connected. For example, in the event the wires are made of aluminum, the connector is preferably also made of aluminum. The connector may be formed in accordance with various methods, but the simplicity of the connector configuration makes it especially suitable for production by an extrusion process.

The connector is provided with a generally upstanding side or body section 16 which is adapted substantially to traverse both of the conductors 12 and 14. A flange section 18 having rounded inner and outer surfaces extends generally laterally from an upper margin of the side or body section 16 for overlying the wire 12. The inner surface 20 of the arcuate flange section is generally the arc of a circle having a point 22 as its center so that the high point of the surface 20 is at 24 as shown best in Fig. 3. A portion 26 of the inner surface which extends laterally outwardly from the high point 22 is substantially flat and is inclined downwardly. As a result, the surface portion 26 will act as a cam surface tending to direct the wire 12 toward the high point 24 when the flange section 18 is loosely hooked over the wire 12 and prior to final crimping of the connector. It will be noted that the outer surface 28 of the flange section 18 is also generally circular in configuration, which configuration facilitates proper collapsing of the flange section during a compression or crimping operation. An outer marginal portion 30 of the upper surface 28 converges with the inner cam surface 26 so as to provide the flange section with a tapering marginal portion which facilitates forming thereof tightly about the wire during a crimping operation.

The connector 10 is provided with an intermediate section or flange 32 extending laterally from the body section 16 and adapted to project between the wires 12 and 14. This section is formed with upwardly and downwardly facing surfaces 34 and 36 which are rounded in transverse cross section for providing seats. The upwardly facing surface 34 has an outer marginal portion 38 which is beveled downwardly so as to avoid any possible undue interference with the free longitudinal edge of the upper curved flange section 18 when the connector is crimped in the manner shown in Fig. 5. As shown clearly in Fig. 3, the upwardly facing surface 34 is disposed so that its lowest point is spaced from the high point 22 of the downwardly facing surface 20 a distance substantially greater than the diameter of the arc of the surface portion 20.

In order to provide means for retaining the wire 14, the connector 10 includes a lower arcuate flange section 40 curving laterally from a lower margin of the body section 16, and a depending flange portion 42 integral with an outer margin of the intermediate flange section 32. A gap 44 is provided between the free margins of the flange sections 4% and 42 to permit the flange section 4t) to be collapsed toward the section 42 during a crimping operation. The gap 44 has a width less than the diameter of the wire 14 so that the wire 14 is to be assembled with the connector by inserting an end thereof into the aperture defined by the flanges 40 and 42, which flanges will then retain the wire loosely until crimping of the connector has been accomplished. The flanges 40 and 42 are provided with arcuate inner surfaces 46 and 48 substantially complementary to the curved surface 36 of the intermediate flange section 32, and these flanges are also provided with outer surfaces 50 and 52 which have arcuate transverse cross sections. The center of curvature of the inner surfaces 46 and 48 is located ata point 54 so that the low point of the lower flange inner surface 46 is located at 56. The points 54 and 56 are laterally offset from a vertical plane containing the points 22 and 24 mentioned above in a direction extending away from the body section 16. This is an important feature of this embodiment since the arrangement is such that the weight of the wire 14 will be applied to the connector laterally outwardly of the vertical plane containing the high point 24 which engages the upper edge of the wire 12 whereby there is a resulting torque applied to the connector which tends to rotate the connector about the wire 14 and the point 24 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3. This causes the connector to tilt as shown in an exaggerated manner in Fig. 4 so as further to insure against accidental disengagement of the generally hooked upper flange section 18 from the wire 12 prior to the crimping operation. The torque applied to the connector in this manner not only biases the connector toward the position shown in Fig. 4, but also serves to resist any accidental movement of the connector in a counterclockwise direction which would permit the flange 18 to become disengaged from the wire 12. Since the connector is relatively securely self supporting on the wire 12 and the wire 14 is retained by the flanges 40 and 42, a workman may easily and quickly assemble the connector with the wires and apply a crimping tool, not shown, to the connector so as to compress the connector into the condition shown in Fig. 5 for securely gripping the wires.

When the connector is crimped or compressed, the flange section 18 is deformed toward the intermediate flange section so that the gap between the outer edges of these sections which initially is wider than the diameter of the wire 12 is substantially completely closed. At the same time, the lower flange section 40 is deformed upwardly toward the intermediate section until the gap 44 is substantially closed. Since both of the flange sections 18 and 49 extend laterally outwardly sufliciently to traverse the centers of the wires, the compression forces may be readily applied to the opposed flange sections in opposite directions so as not only to cause collapsing of the flange sections, but also so as to cause a flattening or distortion of the generally circular cross section of the wires 12 and 14 as shown in Fig. 5. This action promotes the creation of a secure mechanical and electrical connection between the device and the wires.

Fig. 6 shows a slightly modified form of the present invention which is similar to the connector described above as indicated by the application of identical reference numerals with the suflix (1 added to corresponding elements. This embodiment differs only in that the flange section 40a has been shortened and the flange section 42a has been extended so that the gap 44a is located at the body section 16a side of the low point 560. In other words, the construction and arrangement of the flange section 40a is generally similar to the construction and arrangement of the above described flange section 42 while the construction of the flange section 42:: is generally similar to the above described flange section 40. Thus, in this embodiment, the flange section 42a is more extensively deformed and collapsed than the flange 40a during a crimping operation. One advantage of this arrangement is that the size or diameter of the wire receiving aperture defined in part by the flanges 40a and 42a may be changed for accommodating wires of different sizes without unduly increasing the thickness of the flange section 42a while at the same time locating the center 54a and the point 56a laterally outwardly of a vertical plane containing the point 24a. As shown in Fig. 6, the diameter of the wire receiving aperture partially defined by the flanges 40a and 42a may be made considerably smaller than the diameter of the similar aperture of the device described above, and this results in a relatively large increase in the thickness of the flange 40a without an undue increase in the thickness of the flange 42a.

Figs. 7 and 8 show another embodiment of the present invention wherein elements generally corresponding to similar elements of the connectors dmcribed above are designated by the same numerals with the suffix b added. In this embodiment, the body section 16b and upper intermediate flange setcions 18b and 32b are identical to to the corresponding elements described above. This embodiment may be utilized for connecting an end portion of one wire to an intermediate portion of another, but this structure is especially suitable for connecting intermediateportions of two wires. More specifically, the flange sections 40b and 42b depend in a substantially symmetrical manner. The lower margins of these flange sections are slightly curved toward each other, but terminate so that the downwardly opening gap 441) has a width at least as great as the diameter of a wire to be inserted laterally therethrough. This connector may also be relatively easily applied to the wires by hooking the upper flange connection over one wire and inserting the second wire through the gap 44b whereupon a suit-able crimping tool, not shown, may be applied to the connector.

It will be noted that the general exterior configuration of the various connectors described above is such that the connectors may be held in a standard or presently available crimping tool, not shown, during assembly of the connectors with the wires. This feature further enables the connectors to be rapidly and easily applied to the wires. If desired, the internal surfaces of the various connectors may be provided with serrations, protuberances and the like, not shown, for biting into the wires and increasing the holding power of the connectors.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A one-piece compression connector adapted to be crimped onto a pair of elongated elements comprising a first portion for application to an intermediate part of a first elongated element, and a second portion integral with said first portion for retaining a second elongated element, said first portion including a side section and oppositely disposed opening means which is wider than a transverse dimension of said first element and through which said first element may be inserted, said first portion including an upper flange section initially extending laterally from an upper margin of said side section for overlying said first element, said flange section initially having an inner downwardly. facing surface having an arcuate portion immediately adjacent said side section and having a cross-section which is substantially the segment of an imaginary circle having a predetermined diameter, said surface also having a downwardly inclined free marginal portion extending from said arcuate portion for overlying said first element and resisting accidental disengagement of said flange section from said first element prior to crimping of the connector, said first and second portions including a common section extending laterally from said side section substantially in the same direction as said flange section for projecting between said first and second elements, said common section having an upwardly facing surface having an arcuate portion immediately adjacent said side section similar in curvature to said first mentioned arcuate surface portion and disposed substantially oppositely from said first mentioned arcuate surface portion, substantially diametrically opposite points on said first and second mentioned arcuate surface portions being spaced apart a distance substantially greater than said predetermined diameter, said second portion including a pair of flange sections depending from said common section at locations repectively adjacent opposite margins of said common section, said downwardly facing surface having a predetermined highest point located inwardly of the free marginal portion thereof, one of said depending flange sections including a lower portion disposed in opposing relationship relative to said first-mentioned flange section for underlying said second element, said lower portion including an upwardly facing surface having a lowest point laterally offset from a vertical plane containing said highest point and at the same side of said plane as said free marginal 20 portion whereby, during assembly of the connector with said elements, the weight of said second element biases said connector in a direction for resisting accidental disengagement of the first-mentioned flange section from said first element prior to crimping of the connector.

2. A compression connector, as defined in claim 1,

wherein said common section and said pair of flange sec-' tions combine to provide a generally cylindrical interior surface including said upwardly facing surface and initially having a given diameter, said pair of flange sections having free margins spaced from each other at a distance substantially less than said given diameter, said first mentioned flange section having an exterior surface of predetermined curvature, and said pair of flange sections having combined exterior surface means having a curvature substantially similar to that of said exterior surface of said first flange section.

3. A compression connector, as defined in claim 1, wherein said pair of depending flange sections defines a gap sufliciently wide to enable application of said second portion to an intermediate section of said second element prior to crimping of the connector.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,707,775 Hoffman et al. May 3, 1955 2,884,478 Becker et al. Apr. 28, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 512,689 Canada May 10, 1955 526,146 Canada June 12, 1956 

